Garment hanger



Dec. 2, 1947. w. w. MCFALL- 2,431,818

GARMENT HANGER Filed Feb. 12, 1945 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Dec. 2, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GARMENT HANGER William W. McFall, River Forest, Ill.

Application February 12, 1945, Serial No. 577,376

1 4 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved garment hanger, including a yoke fabricated of resilient wire and a coacting tubular trouser support, wherein provision is made for securely holding trousers Or other rticles of dress on said support.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a hanger of increased carrying capacity, which is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction and capable of easy and quick assembly and disassembly when desired.

It is a further ob ect to provide a hanger of the type described including a trouser support or strut and a coacting clamping element which is integral with the wire yoke of the hanger.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation illustrating the hanger of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the hanger, viewed from the left of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section on a line corresponding to line 3-3 of Fig. 1 illustrating a, garment draped and held on the transverse strut of the hanger;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view more clearly illustrating the relationship of the parts of the hanger at the point of interconnection thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a view in section generally similar to Fig, 3, illustrating a somewhat modified embodiment of the invention,

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral it in general designates the improved garment hanger of this invention. This includes a wire yoke member ll fabricated of a pair of strands twisted together to provide a double thickness shank l2, one of the strands being conformed above said shank to provide a suspending hook l3. Immediately beneath shank l2 the strands constituting the yoke are spread outwardly and conformed at an angle downwardly to provide garment locating abutments I4, the strands then diverging downwardly and outwardly beneath said abutments to provide shoulder supporting arms 15. Abutments I4 furnish a means for properly locating and maintaining the neck and shoulder portions of a garment on the hanger, since they engage the inner sides of the neck or collar and prevent undesired shifting thereof out of center with regard to arms I5.

Beneath arms l5 the strands of the yoke are curved downwardly and inwardly, extending toward one another for a substantial distance to provide elongated legs I7. At the inner ends of said legs the wire is then bent downwardly at a right angle and conformed laterally to provide the generally circular strut receiving loops or bights I8 disposed in planes normal to the plane of arms I5. These bights are open at the tops thereof and at terminal portions are interconnected by the transversely extending trouser clamping element [9 which is integral with the bights. Element 19 coacts with a strut 20 inserted at its ends in bights 18 to clamp trousers on the strut, and to that end the bights are spaced suinciently from one another to enable the trousers to be disposed over the strut 2i without wrinkling at either side thereof. Clamping element l9 may be slightly bowed upwardly. as illustrated in Fig. 1 but is generally parallel with and in contact throughout its length with the strut 20. Note that said strut extends outwardly of the bights for a distance substantially coextensive with the length of leg ll,

In ractice, strut 20 may be fabricated of any desired material of cylindrical outline, preferably in the form of a hollow tube as illustrated in the figures; likewise, it is preferably manufactured of suitable paper or cardboard stock wound convolutely or otherwise into the desired sectional outline. However, a solid section wooden strut may be employed, if desired.

In use, the strut and yoke are supplied separately for assembly by a dry cleaning or like establishment when it is desired to mount garments thereon, In performing this operation, the strut is inserted endwise into the loop H3 at one end thereof, the latter exerting a slight frictional retaining engagement with the strut. The strut is inserted a sufficient length to enable the opposite end thereof to clear the adjacent loop and be placed into axial alignment therewith. The trousers should be draped on the strut at this time, but this may be done following final assembly of the strut and yoke, if desired. Then the strut is pushed in the opposite direction for entry and frictional engagement of its opposite end in the adjacent bight l8 of the yoke, into the assembled condition illustrated in Fig. 1. Alternatively the ends of the strut may be inserted radially into bights 18 through the open mounts thereof, the material of the strut being compressed slightly in doing this inasmuch as the wire bights are relatively rigid.

In Fig. 3 I illustrate the hanger with a garment such as a pair of trousers, neckties, or like apparel draped over the strut 23 and maintained in said position by the element 19. The latter is sufficiently flexible to enable the garment to be withdrawn when desired without releasing the strut from the yoke; however, it is contemplated that by preference the strut will be shifted axially or radially sufficient to disengage one of its ends from its supporting bight I8, whereupon the garment may be readily lifted off the yoke. It is for this desired operation that I provide only sufficient frictional action at the bights to prevent inadvertent displacement, There is no substantial springing of the yoke or bights l8 thereon, or severe distortion of the material of the strut such as would prevent this operation or damage the parts for subsequent use.

The fact has been referred to that legs I! of the yoke terminals extend inwardly a substantial distance to the bights IS. The purpose of this is to afford additional locations for the reception of further articles of apparel such as necktie's, shoulder straps of ladies garments, and the like. Thus, with one end of the strut inserted in its appropriate loop, the neck bands of ties, for example, may be draped over said end between the strut and the leg 1 l (and also over th opposite end if the latter is engaged with its bight by radial movement), whereby, upon final assembly of the strut and yoke, the neckties will be clamped between said leg and strut and held against displacement. Moreover, the upper surface of leg ii at either end of the strut affords a further location for the draping of such articles of apparel as are adapted to be placed thereon, since the space laterally of these surfaces is entirely free and unoccupied.

The above hanger has a large capacity and is very simple and inexpensive, readily assembled and held effectively by the frictional coaction of the bights l8 and strut. Clamping element l9 and strut 2i brace the yoke H to strengthen and rigidify the hanger as a whole.

However, I desire to call attention to the fact that the wire yoke member may be employed if desired "as a garment carrier without employing a strut 28 in conjunction therewith. This is one reason why the wire and strut members are supplied in separate quantities, for use by the dispensing establishment in the manner desired. Thus, trousers or a skirt may be draped directly over the cross element lain which case the bights l8 serve as a location for the anchoring of safety pins or like fasteners to prevent displacement of such garment. Even if pins or the like are not so employed, the bights still serve as end stops maintaining the garment properly on the cross element l9.

It will therefore be appreciated that the hanger herein disclosed has a quite unusual versatility in use, considering the extreme simplicity and inexpensiveness thereof.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a modified embodiment of the hanger, in which the strut supporting bights l8 open laterally for the radial reception of the strut 28', said bights being relatively rigid as in the preceding embodiment and adapted to frictionally retain the strut. This last mentioned embodiment has certain advantages in that the integral cross wire, designated 19, will be disposed generally beneath and to one side of the strut, with resultant increased frictional retaining action of a garment on the strut. In other words, the garment is wrapped more fully around the strut 29' and hence is more resistant to displacement therefrom. In both of the foregoing adaptations I have provided a one-piece wire element having suitability for many purposes, either in conjunction with a tubular strut or separately.

I desire to call attention to a further advantageous features of the hanger herein disclosed, namely, the angular garment locating abutments I 4. Not only do these register and maintain the neck portion of a garment on the hanger in proper position, but they also afford means for protecting a garment from crushing by an enclosing paper bag or envelope such as is commonly employed in the trade. Thus in the case of a ladys garment having a frilled or rufiied neck, the abutments M will support the enclosing envelope in spaced relation above the ruffled or frilled portion of the garment and prevent crushing or wrinkling thereof. Likewise, in other instances, this abutment portion may be thrust upwardly through the top of the enclosing envelope to provide a handle for the hanger which is conveniently and comfortably grasped in carrying the hanger and garment thereon.

I claim:

A garment hanger, comprising a wire yoke having downwardly diverging garment 'shoulder supporting arms turned inwardly at the lower extremities thereof and having laterally disposed, radially opening strut supporting bights integral therewith, an elongated garment supporting strut engageable frictionally at either end in said supporting bights, said bights being of between and 360 arcuate extent and being proportioned in diameter and in the spacing of the adjacent ends thereof for frictional radial reception and retention of the strut, and a retainer element integral with and extending between said bights in flexible contact with and substantially parallel to said strut to oppose undesired displacement of an article of apparel therefrom.

2. A garment hanger, comprising a wire yoke having downwardly divergin garment shoulder supporting arms turned inwardly at the lower extremities thereof to provide inwardly directing legs, said legs at the inner extremities thereof having laterally disposed, radially openin strut supporting bights integral therewith, an elongated garment supporting strut engageable frictionally at either end in said supporting bights and extending outwardly of said bights, said bights being of between 180 and 360 arcuate extent and being proportioned in diameter and in the spacing of the adjacent ends thereof for frictional radial reception and retention of the strut, the length of the legs being substantially coextensive with the length of the strut outwardly of said bights, and a retainer element integral with and extending between said bights substantially parallel to said strut to oppose undesirable displacement of an article of apparel therefrom.

3. A garment hanger, comprising a wire yoke having downwardly divergent garment supporting arms turned inwardly at the lower extremities thereof and disposed at an angle to the plane of said arms to provide transverse, radially opening bight-like elements, said elements being of between 180 and 360 arcuate extent and being proportioned in diameter and in the spacing of the adjacent ends thereof for frictional radial reception and retention of a separate strut member, and a cross member integral with said elements disposed between and connecting the same,

4;. A garment hanger, comprising a wire yoke having downwardly divergent garment supporting arms turned inwardly at the lower extremities thereof and disposed at an angle to the plane of said arms to provide transverse, radially opening night-like elements, and a cross member integral with said elements disposed between and con-- necting the same, said elements being in align- 5 6 ment longitudinally of said. cross member and fleeing of between 180 and 360 arcuate extent UNITED STATES PATENTS and adapted to frictionally receive and retain Number Name Date spaced portions of a strut for coaction with said 1,016,707 Parkhurst Feb. 6, 1912 cross member 5 1,184,700 McCallum May 23, 1916 WILLIAM W. McFALL. 2,1 ,276 Coney Nov. 1, 1938 2,268,265 Ruen Dec. 30, 1941 REFERENCES CITED 2,272,587 Ruen Feb. 10, 1942 2,344,172 Ruen et a1 Mar. 14, 1944 The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 10 

